Kate visits charity using ‘nature prescriptions’ to support mental health

The Princess of Wales has said nature was “healing” for her when she visited a charity providing nature based support for people’s mental health.

Kate made a private visit to the mental health organisation Dose Of Nature in west London last week, to meet staff and those supported by the charity providing clinically-led “nature prescriptions” to help people improve their mental wellbeing.

The princess has long championed the benefits of experiencing nature, especially during her cancer journey, and wrote in a recent essay: “By spending time in nature or being creative, we can nurture the very skills and emotions that cannot be digitised: awareness, empathy, humility, and above all, love.”

During her visit to Pensford Field, the charity’s site near Kew, Kate met founder Dr Alison Greenwood, clinical lead Dr Georgina Gould, and members of the charity’s team to learn more about the organisation’s innovative approach to mental health support.

She chatted to Tom who works for the charity and volunteers as a nature guide after being supported by Dose Of Nature in his recovery and helped to build confidence, resilience and a stronger sense of connection to the natural world.

The charity believes nature can help alleviate mental health issues (Peter Byrne/PA)

PA Wire

Kate said to him: “Our journey has been very very different, but it’s so wonderful to hear how your nature connection and how it’s been so healing for you, and I felt the same.

“The fact that you’re able to provide that to so many other people in this community; that sense of purpose and meaning, and belonging, through that experience, I think is something that has got the longevity and the sustainability of feeling like, almost without knowing what’s to come, without having the control in your life of knowing what the future might hold, the fact that you feel that you can cope with things, because you feel that interconnection, I think that makes it holistic in a very true essence.”

Founded in 2018, Dose Of Nature works with NHS and GP referrals to support individuals experiencing a range of mental health challenges through its nature prescription” programme.

The charity uses nature as a tool for wellbeing, combining a psychology led approach, one-to-one guidance from volunteer nature guides and nature immersion to help people reconnect with nature, improve their wellbeing and build lasting resilience.

Last the charity delivered 547 nature prescriptions through its hubs in the Boroughs of Richmond and Guildford, supporting people experiencing a wide range of mental health challenges.